Change direction 🔄 with ease by keeping a wide base

Maintaining your balance is essential on overheads

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Hot Take 🔥

Lobbing is a great strategy (unless you’re a pro)

I have been asked many times whether or not the lob is a good shot to be hitting in pickleball. This is an interesting question because you will never see me hit a lob when I am playing - but this doesn’t mean it’s a bad shot. For players 4.5 and below, the lob is hit very often and can be one of the most annoying shots in pickleball. If hit correctly, your opponents must decide who is running back to get it, and even if they get to the ball, they need to decide whether to hit a drop or a drive. All of these things can be confusing, so I am here to answer all of your questions.

When to lob:

The best time to lob is when your opponents are tightly hugging the kitchen line. They should be leaning in, looking to take dinks out of the air. If you see your opponents with their shoulders leaning down, that is a perfect time to lob. You should also lob if you know your opponents have limited movement. If you can make the ball bounce, you are in a great position to win the point.

When NOT to lob:

You should not lob when your opponents are off the kitchen line. If they are standing in the transition zone, they can easily run back and hit an overhead on any lob. The margin of error is way too high to go for this shot. Also, be aware of who you are playing against when you decide to go for this shot. If you are playing against someone really tall, or someone who can easily run back and hit an overhead, don’t hit a lob against them. One of the main reasons I don’t hit many lobs is because I feel like I am bailing them out, when I could have just sped the ball up. If I have an opportunity to speed the ball up or lob, I’m going to speed it up every time.

Where to lob:

When we lob, be very conscious of your target. For one, think about the geometry of the court. If we lob cross court, there is simply more space for the ball to travel and still land in the court. You can hit the lob harder this way, and not worry about it going long. If you are going to lob down the line, I would recommend lobbing over the backhand side. For example, if I am playing on the left and I have a righty in front of me, I can hit my backhand lob directly down the line. Even if my opponent hits this ball out of the air, it will be a high backhand, which is one of the hardest shots to hit consistently well.

Overall, the lob can definitely be a weapon that you use in rec play. The main thing to remember about the lob is to use it at the right time. We shouldn’t be throwing up lobs every other ball just because we feel like it. There should be intent on every ball we hit.

Featured Product: Montis Pickleball

You may have started seeing these shoes on the courts more and more recently and when that happens, there's usually a reason for it.  Montis Pickleball just launched the Drop 1.0 last fall and it's been making a bit of a splash.  The company was created specifically to design pickleball shoes so they have been engineered to provide unmatched support, agility, and comfort on the court while keeping up the durability for those quick pivots and lateral movements.  Rated among the best on the market, these shoes are becoming a game-changer for many people.

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Shoulder rotation on overheads in 1 minute ⏰

Maximize power on the putaway by rotating your body

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Featured Pro Tip: Connor Derrickson

Learn from the The Pickleball Trainer ⬇️

Do Pickleball Players Need to be Fit?

This is a question that I have gotten for some time now. If not a question, many will comment on the physicality of pickleball and its players.

It’s no secret that if you are new to the sport and you go to local courts looking for some games, you will probably play somebody that is 1) twice your age 2) twice your body fat % and 3) twice your skill level - and yet, they will destroy you.

The Short Answer

Do you need to be fit to play pickleball? No.

Do you need to be fit to be good at pickleball. Mostly, yes.

If you know you aren’t fit yet you think you are good at pickleball - I’m sorry, you probably aren’t. Relatively speaking, you may be the best in your small pocket of players but you aren’t nearing your true potential.

Yes, there are some very prominent and GOOD players on the PPA tour that by the looks of them, you wouldn’t guess they are professional athletes. There are outliers, but the way the game is trending, these players will slowly get phased out.

Breaking Plateaus

Pickleball has exploded due to its accessibility. It’s fun, has a low barrier to entry (you just need a paddle), and there is a steep immediate growth trajectory. This is a recipe for addiction.

That said, most players get better fast and then, they plateau. Why? Probably many reasons but one, especially on the amateur side, is fitness.

You may have all the paddle skills, touch, and fast hands but if you can’t get to the ball, you are no good.

Lower body strength, core, and agility are all components of a proper fitness program that would help you perform better on the court.

That being said, you can’t out-train a bad diet. If you are struggling with your body composition, training will definitely help - the more muscle mass you have the better but you need to fuel your body with nutritious whole foods. But, you will need to establishing key nutritional strategies that will set you up for long term success and sustainability.

Off-Court Training

Don’t wait until you get injured to start training. That’s when a lot of people come to me, as a last result. Make training your first choice. Your preventative strategy.

One thing about my offerings - I train and help pickleball players in their fitness journey but even if you don’t care about becoming your best pickleball self, your health is always the greatest investment you can make.

Start prioritizing YOU and your body and invest in your health.

If this segment has resonated with you at all, I have the perfect plan for you.

Please let us know what you’d like to see next!

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